Rothesay Harbour

The Isle of Bute (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Bhòid or An t-Eilean Bhòdach) is an island in the Firth of Clyde, off the west coast of Scotland. Administratively it's part of Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands. Indeed the Highland fault line runs through it, from the bay and main town of Rothesay halfway down its east coast, through freshwater Loch Fad and Loch Quien to Scalpsie Bay on the south coast. So most of the island, west of this line, is geologically Highland, but it's of no great height, and Bute is lowland in nature. For visitor purposes it's part of the "Costa Clyde" or "Glasgow Riviera", the string of little resorts stretching down the Clyde coast from Gourock through Ayr to Girvan. With only a short ferry crossing from Wemyss Bay on the mainland, it's popular with day trippers from Glasgow and never feels "away from it all".

Satellite view of the Isle of Bute

Get in

Isle of Bute location

By boat

The only way into Bute, unless you've a light aircraft. Most visitors arrive in 1 Rothesay on the Calmac ferry from Wemyss Bay 30 miles west of Glasgow. This takes 35 mins and sails at least hourly every day year-round 07:00-20:00. Return fares are £24 per car plus £6.70 per passenger including driver.

The other Calmac ferry links Rhubodach, at the end of the road on the north of the island, with 2 Colintraive on the Cowal Peninsula. You'd only come this way as part of a scenic tour of Argyll. The ferry runs daily year-round every 30 min 06:00-21:00 (Sunday from 08:30), taking barely five minutes. Return fares are £12.60 per car, £2.50 per passenger including driver (until Nov 2020). As the sea channel is only 300 yards wide, it's an expensive crossing in terms of £ per mile.

See 3 Wemyss Bay for details of:

- trains from Glasgow Central to Wemyss Bay,

- road routes, the usual approach being westbound M8 > A8 > A78,

- connections from Glasgow Airport (GLA ^IATA) or Prestwick (PIK ^IATA).

By plane

If you have a light aircraft, 4 Bute Airfield is near Kilchattan Bay five miles south of Rothesay. Grass strip of 500 m, daylight hours only, no fuel. And you'll need to have ground transport arranged.

Get around

By bus

West Coast Motors run bus services on the island (+44 1586 552319). All bus routes pass along Rothesay Victoria Street near the ferry pier. Those most relevant to visitors are 90, 490 and 493, which follow the coast south past Ardencraig Gardens, Ascog Fernery and Mount Stuart to Kilchattan Bay. These run hourly year-round Mon-Sat.

Buses 90, 477, 479 and 490 run up the east coast via Port Bannatyne to Rhubodach ferry pier, for Colintraive on the Cowal peninsula. Bus 477 crosses to Colintraive by ferry and winds around Loch Riddon via Auchenbreck then south through Kames to Portvadie, for ferries to Tarbert in Argyll. Bus 479 also crosses to Colintraive and from Auchenbreck turns west to Dunoon, for ferries to Gourock thence trains to Glasgow. From Port Bannatyne, buses 90, 490 and 493 turn inland, to Ettrick Bay on Bute's west coast. Routes 488, 491, 492 and 493 loop around Rothesay town to various residential areas, the college, and local hospital.

By bike

An excellent way to explore the island, as the distances aren't great and it's not hilly. Bike hire is available from The Bike Shed near the ferry terminal in Rothesay. Tel +44 1700 505515.

See

Rothesay Castle

• 1 Rothesay Castle, Castle Hill, Rothesay PA20 0DA, ☏ +44 1700 502691. Apr-Sept daily 09:30-17:30; Oct-Mar Sa-W 10:00-16:00. A "compound" castle, unusual for Scotland, first built in Norman times. It has a circular curtain wall: four towers were later added, of which only the "Pigeon Tower" survives. In 1660 it was partially demolished by Cromwell’s forces after they had been temporarily garrisoned there, and then again 15 years later during the Monmouth Rebellion. From the 19th C the Marquesses of Bute made considerable efforts to restore it, or at least to their view of how it would have appeared in the Middle Ages. Adult £5. (updated Dec 2018)
• Bute Museum, 7 Stuart St Rothesay PA20 0EP (just south of castle), ☏ +44 1700 505067. Apr-Sept: M-Sa 10:30-15:30, Su 13:30-15:30; Oct Nov, Feb Mar: Tu-Th Sa 13:30-15:30. Just two rooms, but packed with exhibits of local history. £4. (updated Dec 2018)
• 2 Ascog Hall Fernery, Ascog Hall, Ascog PA20 9EU (4 miles south of Rothesay on coast, bus 90, 490 & 493), ☏ +44 1700 504555. Apr-Oct daily 10:00-17:00. This Victorian fernery had been forgotten about, then rediscovered in 1997 and rehabilitated. One fern had survived from the original collection and is thought to be over 1,000 years old. Adult £5. (updated Dec 2018)

Mount Stuart House

• 3 Mount Stuart House, Kerrycroy PA20 9LR (6 miles south of Rothesay on coast, bus 90, 490 & 493), ☏ +44 1700 503877. Mid-March-mid-Dec: Su-F 11:00-17:00, Sa 10:00-14:30. A flamboyant Victorian Gothic House set in parkland planted with species from all over the world. The Crichton-Stuarts held extensive lands in Wales and elsewhere, and became even richer from developing industry around Cardiff. The 19th-century 3rd Marquess wanted to recreate the Middle Ages to his own specifications, and restored Cardiff Castle and nearby Castle Coch. Mount Stuart was his next project. It's built in warm red sandstone, with a notable marble hall and chapel, and richly decorated. In 2016 a Shakespeare First folio, estimated to worth several million pounds, was discovered in the library. It can viewed by special appointment. Adult £13. (updated Dec 2018)
• 4 St Blane's Church is an extensive ruin, mostly Norman. A monastery stood here 6th to 7th C but only scraps of this remain. After the Reformation of 1560 the priest refused either to become protestant or to leave the church and manse. The authorities left him alone here in an almighty sulk while the place fell to rack and ruin around him. By Kilchattan follow Plan Road south past the airfield; park up at the road end and walk along the track.
• Seals often haul out at Scalpsie Bay on the south coast. The little island one mile west is Inchmarnock. It has sea caves and a Bronze Age burial cist, and in the 7th century was home to the monk after whom Kilmarnock is named. The island is private farmland but boat trips sometimes land by permission.
• The Kyles of Bute are the narrow straits that separate the northern end of Bute from the Cowal Pensinsula. They're a designated National Scenic Area. You can see their eastern arm from the coast road to Rhubodach ferry pier. The western arm can be seen from 5 Ettrick Bay Beach, reached by B878 from Rothesay.

Do

Rothesay, viewed from part way up Serpentine Road

• Victorian Gents Lavatories, Ferry terminal, Rothesay, ☏ +44 1700 505146. M-Th 08:00-17:45, F-Su 08:00-19:30. Magnificent shrine to Victorian ablutions, but only the gents, and for some reason there isn't a viewing gallery so you come here to "do" not "see". The ladies' is modern and functional. "Separate spheres" and all that.... 40 pence. (updated Dec 2018)
• 1 Rothesay Leisure Centre, 96 High Street, Rothesay PA20 9BN. M-F 07:00-20:00, Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 10:00-15:00. For those rainy days. 25-m pool, gym and sauna open daily. Fitness classes rotate between here, the college campus and Moat community centre. (updated Dec 2018)
• 2 Port Bannatyne Marina and Boatyard, Kames Bay, Port Bannatyne PA20 0LT (just west of Port B village), ☏ +44 1700 503116 (for berthing). Accessible 24 hours at all tides, dredged to -2.4 m; office 09:00-17:00. Modern marina with permanent berthing, repairs and storing for all craft. During World War II the bay was a base for midget submarines ("X-Craft"). (updated Dec 2018)
• Port Bannatyne Petanque Club, Recreation Ground, Marine Rd Port Bannatyne PA20 0LT (Opposite Port B Marina), portpetanque@yahoo.co.uk. May-Sept. Boules and measures may be hired from the Post Office, or the Anchor Tavern. (updated Dec 2018)
• 3 Port Bannatyne Golf Club, Mains Road, Port Bannatyne PA20 0PH, ☏ +44 1700 504270. An oddity, a 13-hole course: you play 12, then the first 5 again, then the 18th. Club house, great views, friendly club, kit for hire. (updated Dec 2018)
• 4 Loch Fad Fishing, Loch Fad, (To Loch Fad by Barone Rd B878 then left onto track; to Loch Quien go south via High St / B881 for 3 miles), ☏ +44 1700 504871. The deep loch is stocked with trout, and pike, perch and roach may also be fished. Rowing boats and rods for hire. In summer 2018 Bluebird K7, the restored record-breaking jet-powered hydroplane of Donald Campbell (1921-1967), undertook trials here. Loch Fad Day ticket (5 fish) £25; Loch Quien (catch & release) £14. (updated Dec 2018)
• The West Island Way is a long-distance footpath that traverses Bute, 32 miles in all. It's all easy going, pick your own itinerary, but the suggested stages are: Day 1 circuit of Kilchattan Bay, 5 miles; Day 2 Kilchattan to Port Bannatyne, 11.5 miles; Day 3 Port Bannatyne to Rhubodach 8.5 miles; Day 4 back to Port Bannatyne.
• ButeFest is a music festival in late July. The next is Fri 23 - Sun 25 July 2021.

Buy

Port Bannatyne telephone box

• The Co-op supermarket is on Bridge Street 100 yards west of Rothesay ferry terminal. It's open daily 07:00-22:00.
• Macqueen's is a butcher selling hand-made gourmet sausages, haggis and black pudding. 1 Bishop St, Rothesay near the harbour, open M-Sa 09:00-18:00, W to 12:30.

Eat

Zavaroni’s Cafe

• Zavaronis Cafe, 20 Argyle St., Rothesay, ☏ +44 1700 502928. The Zavaroni family, famous for the singer Lena Zavaroni, run two cafes and a fish and chip shop on the island. They're not easy to miss. The chip shop is next to the Co-Op on East Princes Street, and the two cafes, serving made on-site ice cream, drinks, snacks and light meals, are on the seafront. (updated Aug 2019)
• Rayan is an East Med takeaway at 16 Gallowgate, Rothesay, 200 yards west of the ferry pier. It's open Tu-Su 11:30-20:00.
• The famous Russian Tavern in Port Bannatyne has closed.

Sleep

• Small B&Bs dot the coast road from Port Bannatyne to the north, through Rothesay, to Craigmore a mile east.
• Cannon House Hotel, 5 Battery Place, Rothesay PA20 9DP (On coast road half a mile east of ferry pier), ☏ +44 1700 502819. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Georgian property on the sea front with six double rooms and one twin, needing refurbishment. A la carte menu is available each evening. Residents lounge and small bar. B&B double from £70. (updated Aug 2019)
• Colintraive Hotel, Colintraive PA22 3AS, ☏ +44 1700 841207. On the Cowal mainland above the pier for ferries to Rhubodach (see "Get in") so it could be a life-saver if you missed the ferry. (There's nothing at Rhubodach, but from there you could backtrack to Rothesay if need be.) It's an excellent hotel, scoring highly for comfort, service and food, and not just by stranded travellers. B&B double £110. (updated May 2020)

Go next

The obvious route is back to the mainland via Rothesay and Wemyss Bay, when Glasgow and the whole of lowland / central Scotland lie before you. This is also the best route to the Isle of Arran, by ferry from Ardrossan.

From the short ferry crossing of Rhubodach-Colintraive, either go north to Loch Long, Inveraray and Loch Lomond, or loop south again to Portvadie, for ferries to Tarbert on Argyll. From there the main road leads to Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre. Dotted along the way are ferry ports for Islay (thence Jura), Gigha, and a back route into Arran.